Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-10
Caught by a Big Sauid.


I'VE were lying about half mile off
the beach at the Barbados, overhaul
ing the standing rigging said James
ellis, able seaman, TO New York StsB
reporter, when tho mate ordered John
Webb, an apprentice boy, and myself
into the taWl. which had been cbyered
and Brought arotnd to the pott side,
that seine painting might be done just
abaft the mainmast. 1t was n terribly
hot day. with the water very warm and
the men having little energy. The
paint was lowered down to us, and
while used the brush the boy held the
yawl in position. We had been at
work for about quarter of an hour
when the boy suddenly yelled out in
alright, aud as turned to him he de-
clared that he had seen horrible-look-
ing object pass under the boat, and so
Under the ship. Theirs are plenty of
strange creatures floating about in
those waters. and patch OF seaweed
will sometimes assume queer shape.
laughed at the boys fears; btit at the
same time san how pale and frightened
he looked.
Il began to work again, and had
been at 1t only three or four minutes
when the yawl heaved away from the
ship two or three feet, and at the same
instant the boy screamed out again.
His voice had scarcely reached my ears
when sbmethinp flashed Before my
| eyes. something caught my arm and
pulled it down and pinned it fast to my
body, and IN five seconds more | knew
what had happened. A devil fish had
flung one of his arms about me. Webb
was screaming at the top of his voice,
and as got look at him l saw that
two of the beasts feelers were clutching
HIM. The arm or feeler which had
reached me pinned my arm to my side
as If In wise, making u clean wrap
around my body, and the extreme end
of the Teller, crerjt Up along my neck
and face. Talk Of pain; never felt
anything like it. The teeth of bull
dog couldn't have hurt worse. 1t was
a burning. biting, blistering sensation,
as If 3 live coal had been laid on the
flesh. l added my yells to those of
Webb, but before any one came to the
rail was jerkcd to my knees in the
boat and saw that the creatures object
was to pull me overheard. heard the
boy 60 down and thrash about, and
then three of the men came to our as
sistance.
1.-The devil fish had outwltted himself.
He had gone under the ship and fasten-
ed to her bottom or keel, and as soon
as lie begati Pulling on us he of course
pulled tho yawl close against the ships
eide. That closed the gap. and he
could not pull lis overheard, although ]
think he would have upset the yawl, for
we were both down on her starboard
side and she was almost on her beam
end when the men jumped down. They
began to cut and slash and hack with
their knives. and after two or three
minutes they had us free-not of the
arms, but of the creature. We were
hoisted on board bowling and groan-
ing, with the feelers still biting. and
they had to be cut from us almost by
inches. Webb got 1t far worse than
did, rs he wore thin cotton shirt and
was barefootcd. He was bitten on one
foot. both hands, and across the breast,
and it was long two weeks before he
was on deck again, his face swelled up
until one eve was closed. and the poi
sou made me i'll for many DAYS. Wher-
ever one of the cups or suckers took
hold the skin was entirely taken off
and it seemed as if pins had been stuck
into the raw flesh. A native doctor
brought me some herbs of which TO
make a pOulticr. and. though that re-
lieved the pain and helped me TO get
around again. il Was thotitls before my
face was entirely well.
The devil ii Ii minded the loss of his
three arms for only half an hour, NJ
the end of which time nc c.u;cned the
empty boat. half caps zed her, and
swan twice around the snip rs Il dei-
ance to the crew. Two or three muskct-
balls were fret into him and lie sank
out of sight 10 be seen no more during
our stay"